DP World Adds 5,000+ TEU Vessel to Bolster Red Sea–India Trade Loop

DP World has expanded its owned fleet with the acquisition of a 5,000+ TEU container ship, DP World Chennai, deployed on its Red Sea–Gulf–India service to reinforce cargo links between India and Middle Eastern markets. The vessel’s maiden call at Jebel Ali marks a step up in the group’s controlled capacity, taking DP World Shipping Solutions’ owned slot portfolio to more than 6 million TEU and underpinning schedule reliability on key regional routes.

According to Ganesh Raj, Global COO, Marine Services, the acquisition is aimed less at pure capacity growth and more at enhancing flexibility and service certainty for shippers moving cargo along the India–Middle East corridor. DP World said that with customers increasingly focused on dependable, predictable services, integrating additional proprietary tonnage allows the group to fine-tune its product offering and maintain regular, tightly timed connections between regional load and discharge ports.

The move is part of a wider strategy to build a diversified logistics network combining owned vessels, ongoing capital investment and tighter integration between its port and marine services portfolio. With trade volumes across the Red Sea, Gulf and India region continuing to expand, DP World stressed that it is prioritising service consistency and planning visibility to meet changing supply chain and logistics requirements.

In parallel with the new ship acquisition, DP World has outlined plans to invest around USD 5 billion in India’s trade‑related infrastructure over the coming years, covering ports, inland logistics and associated assets. Its Shipping Solutions arm has also signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Sagarmala Finance Corporation to cooperate on scaling sustainable coastal and shortsea shipping services, supporting modal shift and greener domestic maritime connectivity.